Securing bicycle in an apartment complex?

VonLuck

I may be moving into an apartment in the coming months and one thing that keeps crossing my mind is how I would store my bike. There is an underground car park with bike racks, but someone could easily run in when the gates open and cut the locks. The alternative is bringing the bike up in the lift and keep it inside the apartment or on the balcony, although on a wet day that could destroy the communal areas / lift itself.

Seems like a pain either way. How do those of you living in an apartment manage?

CantGetNoSleep

I leave my commuter (value of around 300) in the basement locked but my road bike (value of around 2000) in the apartment. No way I'd leave anything of value in a basement or car park, you hear of way too many stolen bikes there. You'd cut a lock easily without anyone noticing during the day or night too

On the wettest of days I carry it rather than roll through the common areas

nak

Keep the bikes in my apartment. Use the lift and on wet days I go back down and mop up the puddles left behind, never that bad as I bounce the bike before heading in.

Have seen my neighbours leave more of a mess from mucky shoes.

Fighting Tao

My apartment block has stands in the basement car park and also a store with a big steal door. I leave 2 bikes in the store and my good good bike is in the apartment.

accensi0n

One thing I've found, at least in my apartment complex anyway, is that bikes are safer at the bike racks out in the open where there's a lot of visibility compared to in the underground car park. Even the bike cage in the underground car park.

DaveyDave

Personally, having read a few stories on here of bikes being robbed from the underground parking I wouldn't even try it.

Bringing a bike indoors is no worse than bringing a pram or wheelchair in in terms of dirt, damage etc.

Provided the bike doesn't weigh a ton, I'd bring it inside. I had a crappy Raleigh mountain bike in a bike shed of an apartment I lived in, the gated car park was always broken and kids liked to hang out there for some reason even though it was beside the bin shed and smelled. Air let out, light mounts stolen etc. Ended up keeping it inside. Had a lift but I was on the second floor so just hiked it upstairs.